Ohakim, My Candidate – Jonathan
by Rozzita Iwunwa, Steve Onwuegbuchi & Ezinne Ude


President Goodluck Jonathan has sounded it loud and clear to the people of Imo
State that he has no other governorship candidate for tomorrow's election in the
state than Governor Ikedi Ohakim.
The President made this clear on Friday in Owerri in a rally to mark the grand
finale of the women wing of the state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party held
at Dan Anyiam Stadium.
President Jonathan whose message was conveyed to the people of the state by his
Minister for Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu cautioned the people on
the danger for a state to be in the opposition.
He made it clear that any state that did not produce a PDP governor is in
opposition and reminded the people that such governor would not be in the PDP
caucus meeting where party affairs would be discussed.
He described governor Ohakim as one of his children in the PDP family and urged
the people of the state not to listen to anybody in the opposition to deceive
them.
“In Ohakim is another Sam Mbakwe. The President has found the late Sam Mbakwe
in Ohakim. Chief Ikedi Ohakim is the candidate of President Jonathan.
President Jonathan who showered encomiums on the state governor for his
memorable achievements said the governor had by his record of achievements
opened a new chapter of development in the state.
Adding her voice, the wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan expressed
her immense gratitude to the people of the state for the overwhelming votes they
gave the President.
She reassured the women of the country that the President will not disappoint
them in his promise to give them 35% opportunities in government and made it
clear to them that the 35% affirmative would be easily actualized if the state
produces a PDP governor who will carry out the instructions of the President at
the state level.
The First Lady of the nation reminded the women of the danger in electing a
non-PDP person as governor, because a governor of another party may not have
such programme in his party programme.
In his address, the State Governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, appealed to Imo people
to come out enmass and vote for him and other PDP candidates for the House of
Assembly in tomorrow's election.
He reassured that whatever he may have done wrongly would be corrected in the
second term.
In the same vein, he declared that from his inner heart, he had forgiven all
those that had in one way or other wronged him and would want others whom he may
have wronged to also forgive him.
Governor Ohakim assured President Jonathan that Imo people would not let him
down.
In her speech, wife of Imo state governor, Barrister Chioma Ohakim said the
victory of Chief Goodluck Jonathan in the presidential polls has shown how much
Nigerians appreciate his efforts towards providing dividends of Democracy.
She reassured the wife of the president that Imo state is a PDP state which she
said was made manifest in the last National Assembly and Presidential elections.
Barrister Ohakim stated that the town hall meeting she held with the women
before the commencement of the 2011 general election served as an avenue for
getting information on the needs of the women and providing solutions to the
needs.
The President, national council for women society, Hajia Ramatu Usman described
governor Ohakims administration as gender friendly, as he chose a woman to be
his running mate and put women as chairmen and vice chairmen in the local
government administration.
A member of the PDP Board of Trustees and the Publisher of Champion Newspapers,
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, also assured the President that the people of the
state would return the governor to complete his second term in office.
Chief Iwuanyanwu stressed the need for politicians to adhere to zonal
arrangement in the state which he said had been endorsed by the state council of
elders.
The governors running mate for tomorrows election, Professor Viola Onwuliri in
her speech, assured the wife of the President of the support of women in the
state and that the women would give the governor their total votes.